Special Review of the Slovak Republic's Development Co-operation (2011)

The OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has completed a Special Review of the Slovak Republic's international development co-operation programme. This makes the Slovak Republic the fourth country from beyond the DAC’s membership to undergo such a special review, after Poland (2010)the Czech Republic in 2007 and Korea in 2008.

The Special Review concludes that the Slovak Republic has put in place many of the legislative, strategic and institutional building blocks for its development co-operation. Slovakia now has scope to strengthen its development co-operation system so that it can achieve its development objectives more efficiently, effectively and transparently for the benefit of poor people in its partner countries. Slovakia’s development co-operation faces several challenges, but the Review considers that solutions to these are available. In responding to these challenges Slovakia should focus on: (i) strengthening the leadership of its development co-operation, particularly the key role played by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (ii) increasing the visibility of the entirety of its development co-operation within Slovakia; and (iii) improving the delivery of its Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The Special Review was a consultative process, drawing on the DAC’s experience and methodology in conducting Peer Reviews. Special Reviews are part of the DAC’s efforts to strengthen collaboration with other providers of development cooperation.

A conferencewas held in Bratislava on 3 October 2012 to discuss how the Slovak Republic is using and building on the findings from its Special Review as it sets the future orientations for its development co-operation.